Car-coupling



(No Model.)

4 A. G. MERRITT.

GAR COUPLING.

' UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

AMOS C. MERRITT, OF ALLENTOWN, NEW YORK.

CAR- COUPL|NG.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 429,539, dated June 3, 1890.

Application filed January 20, 1890. Serial No. 337,436. (No model.)

'of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oar-Couplings; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,

which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in which Figure 1 is a view of a portion of each of two flat cars having my improved coupling attached and shown in perspective, the mechanism of said coupling bein gin position to operate and couple the cars as they come together. Figs. 2, 3, 4, and 5 are detail perspective views, respectively, of the bar and springs, trip, drop-link, and prop, each shown in Fig. 1; and Fig. 5 is a perspective View of the coupling-pin. Figs. 6 and 7 are perspec tivi views of modifications of the couplinglIl Like letters of reference denote corresponding parts in all the figures.

This invention relates to car-couplings, having reference more particularly to that class of couplings employing a link and pin; and its object is to provide an improved mechanism or device for dropping the pin through the link and for holding said link in its proper position as the cars come together, and thus render the operation of coupling automatic.

Referring to the drawings, the letterA designates the draw-heads, to which are fixed the vertical standards B, bifurcated at the upper end, as shown. To this standard are attached the various parts of the device for rendering the coupling automatic.

In the bifurcated upper end of the standard B is hinged the angularly-bent trip 0, which tapers to a point,'and also tapers upward from a short distance above the end to form the shoulder c on the outside. This construction is fully shown in Fig. 3. A bar D extends through the standard B parallel to the draw-bar, and has attached to it a pair of springs cl, which are bent slightly away from each other at the outer ends to form a convenient rest for the trip 0, and holding said trip in position to spread said springs, for the purpose hereinafter shown. The drop-link E is hinged to the sides of the standard and is cut away on one of its under sides to form a catch 6, by engaging with which the hinged prop F supports the drop-link in a horizontal position.

The coupling-link may be of the ordinary construction, as shown in Fig.0, or either of the patterns shown in Figs. 1 and 7, respectively, may be employed. When the ordinary coupling-link is used, it must be heldin place by a wedge or block K, of rubber or other suitable material, which must be attached to the draw-head by a piece of chain, as shown in Fig. 1. Where the draw-heads to be coupled are not of the same height, the link may be made to slant up or down and to the desired degree by inserting this wedge K below or above the link. In the link shown in Fig. 1 a spring of rubber or other suitable material is inserted, and by turning the link it maybe made to slant or rest at different heights. In the modification shown in Fig. 7 the hook shown at g is intended to engage the drawhead at h, and thus hold the link in position while the cars are coupling. The couplingpin may be of any convenient pattern.

The operation of my invention may be easily understood by reference to Fig. 1. In this illustration the link is placed in the draw-head at the left with a pin in the usual manner, and held wit-h spring or block, and the droplink raised and held in a horizontal position by the prop resting in the catch e. On the right-hand car, as shown in the drawings, the end of the coupling-pin is entered in the hole through the draw-head and held up by the head being placed between the springs (Z. The trip is placed in the rest formed by the deflecting ends of the springs cl. As the cars come together, the drop-link strikes against the trip, which presses the springs apart, and as the coupling-link enters the draw-head below the coupling-pin drops through it. The shoulder c catches the drop-link if it tends to slide upward on the slanting surface of the trip, and thus the trip is certain to be pushed between the springs, and the pin to fall when the cars come together.

Though in the operation of coupling, as above described, the coupling-link was first attached to the car on the left and the other parts of the device arranged accordingly, it is eVi-' tion will be identical whether the couplinglink be first attached to one or the other.

Inasmuch as the ordinary coupling link and pin may be employed, cars fitted with my devlce are perfectly adapted to be used with all ordinary forms of link-and-pin couplings.

The device may be attached with slight cost to pin-couplings already in use, and ordinary couplings thereby converted into automatic couplings.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States- 1. In a car-coupling of the class dcscrib ed, a spring block and wedge combined, adapted to hold the coupling-link, a trip, springs adapted to hold the coupling-pin and to be pressed apart by said trip, a drop-link adapted to strike said trip as the cars come together, a prop adapted to hold said drop-link in a horizontal position, and means, substantially as described, for connecting said parts to the draw-head.

2. In a car-coupling of the class described, a standard fixed to the draw-head, abar haying springs with deflecting ends attached thereto, the trip, drop-link, and prop, all constructed and arranged substantially as shown.

3. In a car-coupling of the class described, the combination of a Vertical standard fixed to the draw-head, a bar having springs with spreading ends forming a rest, a hinged trip tapering upward from near the end to form a shoulder, as shown, a hinged drop-link cut away on one of its under sides to form a catch, and ahinged prop, all arranged substantially as and'for the purpose described.

4. The combination, in a car-coupling of the class described, of the vertical standards, angularly-bent trip, springs, drop-link, prop, and rubber spring block and wedge combined,all constructed substantially as shown and combined to co-operate substantially as .setforth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereunto afiixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

AMOS C. MERRITT.

WVitnesses:

WILLIAM H. MERRITT, CHARLES H. MERRITT. 

